Courses

College of Law

Federal Courts

Course Number: 6680
Professor: Jason Robison
Credit Hours & Type of Credit: 3
Semester Offered: Varies
Required: No
Prerequisites: Students must have completed their first year of law school.
Recommended Courses: Civil Procedure I & II and Constitutional Law I & II

Course Overview: Where exactly does the federal judiciary fit within our constitutional order in the United States? This fundamental structural question frames Federal Courts as a whole. Every exercise of judicial power by federal courts places them in potential conflict with other governmental actors. On the one hand, federal courts’ exercise of judicial power might intrude upon the constitutional domains of Congress and/or the Executive. On the other hand, federal courts’ exercise of judicial power might usurp a function that lawfully should be performed by state courts. Reflected in these structural tensions, the foundational principles of separation of powers and federalism are woven in a skeletal way throughout the course. In this sense, it lies at the intersection of constitutional law and civil procedure. At every turn, this intersection can be seen in the course’s topical coverage, which encompasses overlapping doctrinal, historical, and theoretical material on the justiciability doctrines (advisory opinions, standing, ripeness, mootness, political questions); congressional control of federal courts; constitutional and statutory federal question jurisdiction; federal common law; the Eleventh Amendment and state sovereignty; and U.S. Supreme Court review of state court decisions.

Course Materials: See the current Book List located under Scheduling.
Course Format: Lecture and class discussion
Written Assignments: None
Type of Exam: Open-book, multiple-choice midterm quiz and open-book, free-slot final exam.
Basis for Grading Student Performance: Final exam, midterm quiz, and class participation.
Other Comments: None